Topic: A Clone Wars Story Part 1: Getting There

Thump...Thump...Thump...Thump

The pounding of the All Terrain Open Transports was a continuing chorus. Each thump sent snow into the air, as they made their way through the remains of the Separatists defenses. Mere hours ago, 100 Galactic Marine Shock Troopers had assaulted this bunker. None of them remained, killed by the blast of the bomb that had been planted in advance by CIS forces.

16-year-old, Jedi Padawan Zana Jabrinth could still feel the left over shock and fear from the recent battle. She hugged her knees as she sat on the floor of the open transport, shutting her eyes and whispering comfort to the dead soldiers. She could remember talking to this particular squad: Kalfa Assault Group. They were all laughs then, but she could sense the fear in them. She always could, in almost anyone...Even if they tried to hide it. On a good day she could pick out a fruit beetle almost 40 feet away in a rain forest. Allot of the other Padawans were jealous of her...special abilities. Then again, they didnÃ¢Â€Â™t know what if felt like. Knowing other peoples thoughts, other peoples emotions amplified inside you making you angry, sad, in love, or whatever the people around you felt...yeah not so fun. They didnÃ¢Â€Â™t know what it felt like, they were blinded by the seemingly sweetness of the power, they didnÃ¢Â€Â™t even notice that she was alone most of the time. She didnÃ¢Â€Â™t have a single friend in the entire Jedi Temple. Not even the Masters wouldnÃ¢Â€Â™t want to be around her, on certain days they even made phony excuses NOT to teach her, just so they could get away from her. Zaina couldnÃ¢Â€Â™t help but feeling hurt. When she found out about it, she had cried for hours on her bed.

Master Yoda had always said it was her gift. Her calling, so to speak. He said that she should feel grateful that the Force had manifested in someone so young. Zaina disagreed. She loathed her gift.Since she had been a youngling, Zaina had always been an outcast. No one wanted to be around someone who could know your thoughts and secrets. Though they treated her nice enough, no one would want to be around her for more than a few minutes. Or risk her tapping into their thoughts.

Its not like she wanted to know what other people were thinking; she just couldn't help herself. However her sensing powers werenÃ¢Â€Â™t always out of control, most days Zaina could keep it in check. Even then no one would-

"Um...Ma'am?"

Startled out of her thoughts, Zaina looked up to see a clone trooper standing over her. She smiled as she saw (or rather sensed) who it was.

"Hi, Nade."

Nade was the Co-pilot of AT-OT, and had done his best to make her feel comfortable here. And had been nice enough to tell her his real name.

"Uh, hi, we'll be arriving at the command center in a few minutes, get your stuff together."

"Thanks, I will"

Nade nodded then walked back to the cockpit.

Zaina sighed then lifted herself off the floor, grabbed her carry on bag which consisted of a few changes of clothes, survival kit and rations. The AT-OTs 'thumping' came to a stop and the ramp lowered, letting her and the clone troopers with her off. As she descended the ramp she reflected on why she was here: She was getting reassigned to a new master; after the council discovered her old master was following heretical views of the Force. She hadnÃ¢Â€Â™t head at what had happened to her old master.

As she set foot on snowy ground of the compound, she realized she was at a loss at where she was supposed to go, she looked back to the transport hoping she could get Nade to tell her where she should go. But the ramp had already ascended and the transport had begun its trip back to the landing sight.